Fishing reel



H. w. DENlsoN ET AL 2,667,312

FISHING REEL Filed Sept. 19, 1951 Jan. 26, 1954 sin;

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ATTORNEYJ Patented Jan. 26, 1954 FISHING REEL lHenry Warren 'Denison 'Mankatm Minn., assign Inc., .Mankato,iMinn., a corporation :Sota

and Lloyd E. Johnson, ors to Denison-Johnson,

of .Minne- App'lication `September 19, 1951,'Serial No.247,304

16 Claims. l

'This invention relates to improvements in fishing reels of the xed spool variety, popularly known as spinning reels, and more particularly to improvements in the reel disclosed in our vprior application Serial No. 179,188, filed August 14, 1950, now Patent No. 2,644,647, issued July 7, 1953.

As in -that prior application the reel here disclosed includes a fixed -spool and a crank ractuated, rotatable spooling member which picks up and spools the line as the crank is turned. When casting, =a centrally located control member` is pressed so as to shift the spooling member and retractffa line pick-up pin, `which normally projects from the periphery thereof, so that the line may peeloi from the spool without any possibility of forming a backlash. Our'present invention has-as its primaryV object the improvement lof `the center bearing and mounting mechanism Yfor supporting the spool and spooling megiber, with the component parts rof this mechanism so constructed and arranged that the reel may be taken down cr reassembled in the field without diiiiculty.

Another object of the presen-t invention is to provide improved brake and drag mechanisms for retarding movement of 'the spool and spooling member, respectively, as necessary in 'certain operations of the reel.

.'Still'another object isto 'provide' a gear drive mechanism Vfor a reel of this type by which the lure retrieve speed may be accelerated, and to generally improve various constructional and operational features of this reel, all Yas will 'be set out in detail hereafter.

These and othermore detailed and specic objects will ybe disclosed Yin the course 'of the fol lowing specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in 'which- Fig. l is aside elevational view of a reel according-to our invention, looking at the same from the side at which the actuating cranl; is located.

Fig. .2 is an :enlarged diametric ysectional view takensubstantially along the line A2-2in Fig. i.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view on' aV reducedscale as-compared with Fig. 2, and showing the brake disk or member for braking the reel spool.

Fig. .-4 is -a 'sectional and elevationalview on a reducedscale ltaken substantially-along the line 4 4 in Fig. 2 viewing the spool in end elevation and showing only a fragmentary peripheral portion 'of the spooling member.

Fig. 5 is an elevational v'view of` the tubular bearing and sleevetmembersforming `nfia'jo'r'sup- I porting partsfor the reel assembly.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of one side portion `of the reel, illustrating the application thereto of gears for speeding up the lure retrieve and showing the housing for this gear assembly in section.

Referring now more particularly and by reference characters to the drawing, the reel comprises a frame in the form of a hollow housing, designated generally at Ill, consisting of a circular side plate Il having a peripheral flange I2 over which is tted the rim I3 vof a conical cover M. The engagement between the rim I3 and frange I2 is frictional, but in addition the flange is provided with bayonet grooves I5, while the rim has pressed in bosses l 6 to engage these grooves on rotational movement of the cover to lock the two component parts of the frame firmly together. The usual tang I1 is secured Vto the side plate I I by a bracket I8, riveted to the plate and designated at I9, land ythis tang serves as means for securing the reel to the reel seat on'the fishing rod. It will be noted that the tang Il is so located with reference to the frame or housing Ill that the side plate II'Will parallel the axis of the fishing rod when the reel is applied thereto. The cover I4 has a line guide eyelet 2l! at its apex and thus the line, which llows out through this eyelet as will be presently described, will emerge from the side of the reel.

At its center the side plate II has an opening 2| and tted therein is the barrel 22 of a tubular bearing member 23 which has a diametrically enlarged head 24 at its outer end to overlie the outerface ofthe side plate. The oppositeend of the bearing member 23 is externally threaded at 25 for the accommodation of a clamping nut 26. In assembly a sleeve 21 is slipped over the 'barrel portion 22 of the bearing .member and is held in place by the nut Y2t, this sleeve also having a diametrically enlarged annular shoulder 2.3 adjacent its inner end and which shoulder is in turn faced 01T to provide a narrow, reduced projection 29. The reel spool is designated generally at 30 and comprises two identical pressed sections, the center portions 3l of which are held together by rivets 32 and the peripheral portions of which are oppositely offset in order to form the annular line receiving groove 33. Where these spool sections are olset they are rounded,as designated at 34, and from these offsets the spool sections extend radially in parallel flanges, as designated at 35, to form the aforesaid groove 33. The centers 3| of the spool sections have openings 36 of a diameter such as to nicely, vrotatably t'the sleeve 2l on which the spool is mounted, `with the aforesaid shoulder 28 forming "a k'stop to prevent endwise movement of the spooll in the inward direction. The spool is frictionally biased in the said inward direction and held against the shoulder 28 by a dished brake disk or member 31 pressed from sheet metal and circular in shape to fit the circular cavity at the adjacent side of the spool formed by said offset 3.4. Around its margin the brake member 31 is curved, as indicated at 38, and in assembly this curved rim of the brake member will bear against the adjacent and oppositely curved offsets 34 of the reel spool as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The brake member 31 is held against rotation and vadjusted in its frictional contact with the spool by means of a knurled screw 39 threaded through an insert 40 in the side plate li and having a reduced inward projection 4i which ts an opening 42 formed for its accommodationv in a circular offset portion 43 of the brake member. It will be readily understood that the adjustment of the screw 39 will press the brake member 31 inward against the spool so as to frictionally holdV the same against rotation and that the magnitude of the frictional resistance of rotation of the spool may be readily adjusted by the angler simply by turning the screw 39, for a purpose presently to appear. Y

J ournaled through the bearing member 23 is a tubular shaft 44, the length of which is such that the outer end of the shaft will project some distance beyond the bearing head 24 to the outside of the reel.V This outer end of the shaft is provided with the conventional flats for the accommodation of a crank 45 which is held in piace by a crank nut 4S threaded on theouter end of the shaft. The crank, of course, has the usual knob 41 by which it, and the shaft to which it is connected, may be rotated by the angler. A cam 48 is fitted on the slightly reduced inner end of the shaft 44 to which the cam is non-rotatably located by staking, as designated at 43, and in assembly, as the crankV nut 45 is turned up, the shaft will be held against endwise displacement in the bearing, but one or more thin washer-shaped shims, such as designated at 55, maybe located between the crank and the head 24 of the bearing in order to take up any end play which may be present.

It will be noted that the end yface of the bearing head 24 is diametrically reduced to reduce friction as the crank is turned, and that the head is also provided with opposed notches i so that the bearing may be held against turning by means of a small spanner (not shown) while the nut 26 is turned up tight in assembling the reel.

Positioned alongside the `spool 30 is a circular spooling member, designated generally at 52, formed up from sheet metal and with its circular end plate 53 firmly secured by means of a nut 54 against the enlarged end 55 of an elongated op erating plunger 55. This enlarged end 55 of the plunger is of such diameter as Yto slidably and rotatably nt the bore of the shaft 44 into which the plunger is inserted, so as to hold the spooling member 52 centered with respect to the spool itself. Around its margin the end plate 53 of the spooling member has an annular flange 51 encircling the adjacent flange 35 of the spool 32 and with its extremities smoothly rounded off. In the casting position, Ythe spooling member l moves out so that edge of flange 51 is even with the edge of spool 3B allowing line to peel oil?, without restriction, from spool 30. In the spooling position, the edge of the flange of the spool- Y ing member projects well over the center of the j spool 3s which permits line to be wound evenly from the center of the spool each way. A line pick-up pin 58 is slidably mounted in a radial position within the spooling member 52 and for this purpose an apertured ear 59 is punched from the end plate 53 to support the inner end of the pin, while the ilangei51 is' provided with an opening 5E! through which the smoothly tapered outer end 5l of the pin slidably projects. At its inner end the pin 58 rides the periphery of the cam 43 and a bowed Wire spring 62 is attached at one end 53 to the pin and braced at its outer end 64 against 'the flange 51 in order to yieldably bias the pin in the inward direction tc maintain its inner end in contact with the cam. Substantially one-half of the periphery of the cam 43 is constituted by an eccentric cam surface 65 terminating in shoulders 55 and 51, and this cam surface 55 is so formed that rotation of the cam by the crank 45, in a normal direction in which said crank isturned'for retrieving the iishing line, will bring up the high point of the cam and project the pin 58 from the spooling member 52 as seen in Figs. 2 and 4. At the same time as the shoulder 56 comes up against the inner end of the pin 58,.it will cause the cam to rotate the spooling member 52 with the crank, as will be understood. Inward movementV of the pin 58 is limited by the contact of a small lug 6B with the apertured ear 55, and as seen in Fig. 2 said lug is punched from the pin itself in a well known manner.

In assembly a circular drag plate 69 is fitted on the projection 25 of the sleeve 21 and rotatably held thereon by the nut 25 which holds the bearing assembly together, but interposed between the nut and drag plate 55 is a circular spring washer 1i! of Phosphor bronze or other suitable material. Before assembly the washer 15 is slightly crimped or bowed, and thus as the nut 25 is turned up tight thewasher will tendto frictionally hold the drag plate 59 against rotation on the stationary bearing assembly. The plate 69 has right an-gularly turned, spaced fingers 1I which project out toward the end plate 53 of the spooling member and punched from this end plate 53 is a cooperating finger 12 having an end 13 fitting between this finger 1 I. The finger 12 may, of course, pull clear as the spooling member is removed from the assembly as will be understood.

Inoperation the spool 30 is filled with fishing line, designated at 14, and with the parts assem-v bled as described the end of the line is pulled 01T of the spool of the ange 51 of the spooling member 52 and out through the guide 20, so that the line may be threaded through the guides of the fishing rod and attached to the lure. In order then to cast the lure the angler depresses acontrol button 15, which enters the open end of the shaft 44 and is threaded at 15 onto the plunger 56, forcing this plunger inward against the outward tension of a coil spring 11 encircling the plunger as clearly shown. This motion of the plunger 56 moves the spooling member 52 a short distance away from the spool 30 and as the pin 58 thus is moved clear of the cam 48 the spring 52 will move the pin inward toward the center of the reel so that its end BI clears the line where it passes over the flange 51. As will be readily understood the line 14 may then peel off the spool 30 as is necessary in making the cast. The aforesaid movement of the control button 15'may be caused to move the spooling member 52 far 1 enough to frictionally grip orA pinch the. line 14;

having a centrally located opening, a tubular bearing in said opening, a sleeve on the bearing, a nut threaded on the bearing and securing the bearing and sleeve in place on the side plate, a line guide on the frame opposite the side plate and centered on the axis of the bearing, a line spool rotatable on the sleeve, a tubular shaft journaled through the bearing, a crank operatively connected to the shaft outside the frame, a cam Secured on the shaft inside the frame, a line spooling member positioned alongside the .spool and a plunger secured to the spooling mem .ber and slidably mounted out through the shaft, a control button secured on the plunger and projecting from the shaft outside the frame for manual operation to shift the line spooling member away from the spool, a pick-up pin slidably mounted on and radially projecting from the spooling member and normally engaging the cam but disengageable therefrom as said member is moved away from the spool, a spring biasing the spooling member toward the spool, a spring biasing the pick-up pin inward against the cam, the said sleeve having an annular shoulder, la drag plate rotatable on said shoulder, a spring disk clamped by the nut against the drag plate to retard rotation thereof, spaced fingers projecting from the drag plate, and a finger on the spooling member fitting between said spacedl fingers whereby the drag plate will frictionally retard rotation of the spooling member.

4. In a fishing reel of the character described, a frame having a side plate and said plate having a centrally located opening, a tubular bearing in said opening, a sleeve on the bearing, a nut threaded on the bearing and securing the bearing and sleeve in place on the side plate, a line guide on the frame opposite the side plate and centered on the axis of the bearing, a line spool rotatable on the sleeve, a tubular shaft journaled through the bearing, a crank operatively connected to the shaft outside the frame, a cam secured on the shaft inside the frame, a line spooling member positioned alongside the spool and a plunger se cured to the spooling member and slidably mounted out through the shaft, a control button secured on the plunger and projecting from the shaft outside the frame for manual operation to shift the line spooling member away from the spool, a pick-up pin slidably mounted on and radially projecting from the spooling member and normally engaging the cam but disengageable therefrom as said member is moved away from the spool, a spring biasing the spooling member toward the spool, a spring biasing the pick-up pin inward against the cam, the said sleeve having an annular shoulder, a drag plate rotatable on said shoulder, a spring disk clamped by the nut against the drag plate to retard rotation thereof, spaced fingers on the drag plate `projecting toward the spooling member, and a member on said spooling member projecting toward and between said fingers whereby the drag vplate will frictionally retard. rotation of the spooling member. Y

5. In a shing reel of the character described, a frame having a side plate and a conical cover mounted thereon, a bearing assembly in i the frame, a line spool Von the bearing assembly, a spooling member alongside the line spool and having a retractable line spooling pick-up pin, means for supporting and operating the line spooling member, the spool having a hollow on the side facing the inside of the side plate, a dished brake plate located in said hollow in frictional engagement with the spool, said plate and spool having reversely curved engaging surfaces, and means for adjusting the frictional contact of the brake plate with the spool.

6. "'In a fishing reel of the character described, the combination comprising ,a hollow frame, a bearing assembly and a line spool in the frame, a spooling member on the frame for causing a line to be wound on the spool and guiding the line off the spool and means supporting the member for movement away' from the spool and toward an adjacent inner portion of the frame as line ows off the spool, and said inner portion of the frame and said spooling member having cooperating surfaces located radially outward with respect to the spool for snubbing the line upon such movement of the spooling member.

HENRYWARREN DENISON, LLOYD E. JOHNSON.

References Cited in the file 0f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,114,084 Wells Oct. 20, 1914;v 2,521,543 Shakespeare et al. Sept. 5, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 470,695 Great Britain Aug. 19, 1937 916,877 France Aug. 26, 1946 

